Long-time Reebok president to join ABG leadership team
Matt O’Toole, who has been president of US-based sports brand Reebok for eight years, will join its owner, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), as executive vice chairman in January 2023.
In his new role, O’Toole will work in tandem with ABG’s leadership team on new brand acquisitions, driving strategic initiatives, as well as supporting the global expansion of Reebok.
“We are thrilled to welcome Matt O’Toole to ABG’s leadership team,” said Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of ABG.
“Matt brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the footwear, apparel, equipment and sports marketing business. For the last 15 years, he provided a clear vision for Reebok through some of its most historic and pivotal moments. As he steps into his new role at ABG, we look forward to utilising Matt’s industry knowledge and expertise to drive Reebok and the ongoing development of other ABG brands to strategically maximise revenue opportunities across our business verticals.”
ABG announced its acquisition of Reebok from Adidas in August 2021. It finalised the deal in March of this year, paying US$2.5 billion for the sneaker and sportswear brand.
NRA farewells Dominique Lamb, names interim CEO
On Friday, the National Retail Association farewelled its CEO of the last seven years, Dominique Lamb, and named Lindsay Carroll as interim CEO of the organisation. Carroll is currently deputy CEO of the NRA, and has previously served as interim CEO.
Tim Schaafsma, who became chairman of the NRA in July, following the departure of its former chair Mark Brodie, thanked Lamb on behalf of the association’s members, noting that she leaves the organisation with “an extremely healthy balance sheet, and with a strong, diverse and growing membership base”.
“On Dom’s watch the NRA has achieved significant influence with all levels of government, and that has made our industry policy division the “go-to” choice for governments seeking to connect with retailers,” he said.
Lamb’s final day at the NRA was Friday, 9 September. At the time of this writing, she had not yet announced her next role.
LVMH appoints Michael Schriver as group president of North Asia
Luxury conglomerate LVMH has reportedly promoted Michael Schriver to group president of North Asia, where he will lead the company’s operations in China and South Korea, according to multiple media reports.
Schriver has worked for LVMH for nearly 25 years, including as Louis Vuitton’s president of North Asia for the past eight years. Prior to that, he was COO at DFS, the company’s tax-free retail business.
LVMH group chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault said he was “delighted” about the appointment.
“It is a strong signal of our determination to invest in our future in Asia and to enhance collaboration across our organisation,” he said.
“I have been working with Michael for over 20 years and have been constantly impressed with his understanding of the business at all levels. I will stay in close contact with him in his new role. His expertise, and the knowledge of the group ecosystem and culture will be strong assets for us.
Wesfarmers OneDigital finance chief Virginia Leaf off to Harvard
Wesfarmers OneDigital GM of finance, Virginia Leaf, has won the Women Leaders in Retail CEW Scholarship, to study at Harvard Business School.
The scholarship, organised by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the Chief Executive Women (CEW) organisation, aims to accelerate the professional development of female leaders in retail.
Leaf, who accepted the award virtually due to the birth of her second child, described it as “an amazing opportunity” to leverage the learnings in her OneDigital role as well as the broader contribution she can make as a female leader in the retail industry.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra said the organisation is committed to advancing the careers of women in retail.
“With more than 700,000 women working in retail, women’s career progression is a powerful focus of that work. We were delighted to partner with CEW to provide this scholarship.”
